Thousands complain about tax refund delays

Facebook groups filling up with complaints

For the second year in a row, you may have to wait longer for your tax refund in 2018, especially if you filed for a popular tax credit.

So as some taxpayers get more and more frustrated, we wanted to get to the bottom of things, and find out why refunds are taking longer even in this digital age.

Complaints are piling up in Facebook groups like "I got my refund," and "Where's my Refund," where hundreds of people are complaining they have not received their refund. Many say their return will be under review for weeks.

Reason for the delays

The IRS says it is trying to cut down on refund fraud, where a thief files under your name.

The agency has been taking a closer look at returns, ever since scammers began filing millions of fraudulent returns with stolen Social Security numbers four or five years ago

Last year's Equifax data breach only made things worse, with millions of names and Social Security numbers potentially available on the dark web.

The IRS says you can expect extra scrutiny if:

You file for the earned income tax credit.

You have a new address this year.

Your income is dramatically different than last year's.

All these are red flags that someone filing with your SSN may not really be you.

Beware "refund status" emails

But you don't want to be too eager to get that refund.

Scammers, once again, are sending fraudulent "phishing" emails claiming to be from the IRS or TurboTax, often with a link for a refund update.

If in your eagerness to know something, you click and log in with your Social Security number, you may open yourself up to getting scammed. You have just given them everything they need to assume your identity.